About Us

James and Joseph are cousins who grew up together in North London. Together they direct and manage the practice. Their lifelong friendship and childhood passion for drawing, design, and construction has formed the heart of the business for the last 10 years.

James Smith B.A., M.A.
(Cantab), Peterhouse,
Cambridge University


James founded Just Plans in 2002 from his father's High Street law practice. He is passionate about good design, planning strategy and lateral problem-solving.

James spends most of his time in West Sussex and North and Central London. He is a passionate artist, musician and sportsman.

Joseph O'Neill
Manager & Head Surveyor

Joseph is a highly driven and disciplined individual. He is a perfectionist, detail-focused and an excellent surveyor.

Joseph is goal-focused, practical and passionate, and cannot stand to leave a job unfinished. Clients comment on his ability to listen, to give focused, no-nonsense feedback, and to ensure a project stays on budget and realistic.

Joseph manages the company and oversees all survey and plan packages. He lives in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, is married to Katie, with whom he has three children.

Jack Smith
Strategy Comms & Logistics

Jack is driven and logical with an aptitude for maths, modelling, xero and spreadsheets amongst many other talents.

Jack heads up our growth and marketing which includes expansion overseas.  He oversees all technical aspects of the business including CRM, email, website and hosting.

His remit includes sustainably scaling the practice, consolidating the existing business whilst adding new services as well as customer follow-up, after-sales assistance and working with contractors and engineers.

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"Much appreciated - really impressed with the turnaround time."

Colliers International
City of London EC2V

"Just Plans are excellent, and will save you time and money across a home improvement project."

Andrew Mellish
Property Home Services Ltd
North London

"Thank you for making things so simple. It all seemed so complicated last time round."

Mr Warwick
West Sussex

"Brilliant work. The service has been absolutely fantastic."

M Khetia
North London

"I cannot believe I can finally build my loft extension after so many refusals! I am beyond delighted."

B Lefort

"We chose you because of your vision. You saw how our home could be. We are delighted with the results."

Mr and Mrs Yaari
North London

"The plans are so good!"

Alan Oakley
Bennett Oakley Solicitors
West Sussex

"Thank you again for being so accommodating, efficient, and speedy."

Sean Sherman
Castles Solicitors
West Sussex

"Your turnaround time of under 24 hours was most impressive!"

Dutton Gregory
Hampshire

The “small print”…

Just Plans is a Limited Company Companies House reference 10113657

By “advice” or “consultancy”, we mean that we are generally happy to offer provisional thoughts and suggestions to homeowners and other existing or potential clients, based on our experience of having submitted hundreds of planning applications for many different properties for many different councils over more than a 20 year period.

Because of this and other similar experience, many people who are considering a project find it useful to talk us through their plans. At our reasonable discretion, we are generally happy to spend some unpaid time listening and walking people through the general process and the typical different options that they might like to consider.

Any such advice or consultancy is limited to provisional and general guidance. The risks and rewards associated with any project or decision exclusively remain the homeowner’s or the developer’s, unless we have explicitly stated otherwise in writing and have been paid to share in such risk or such responsibility.

Likewise, we assume no liability for taking on any “due diligence”, any CIL negotiation, accurately predicting the local authority’s decisions, any role as Principal Designer or similar, or any other role or function whatsoever, whether or not it forms part of RIBA or RICS or any similar legislation, unless we have explicitly stated otherwise in writing, and unless we have received payment for the same.

Unless otherwise agreed, we act exclusively as our clients’ agents, and under their authority. We agree jobs on a case by case basis, always evidenced in writing, and never on a merely verbal basis.

For full terms of service and for how our plans should be used, refer also to the right hand margin of any plan supplied.